SRINAGAR, APRIL 11: The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has developed and designed a comprehensive “Syllabus cum Academic Calendar” for the academic session 2023-24, which includes the foundational stage, and the classes 1 to 8 in the schooling system of Jammu and Kashmir. The syllabus is in accordance with the latest guidelines and instruction manuals issued by NCERT, New Delhi, and is aligned with the NEP-2020 to improve the quality of education, which aims to shift from rote learning to competency and experiential-based learning. After four months of rigorous effort by experts from NCERT and SCERT, the new syllabus maps the learning outcomes with the contents of the prescribed textbooks of J&K Board of School Education. In a remarkably short span of time, Jammu and Kashmir has become the first Union Territory to create such a comprehensive document, outpacing all other states and union territories in the country. The exercise took place under the guidance of Professor Parikhshat Singh Manhas, Director of SCERT and Fayaz Ahmad Fayaz, Joint Director of the Central Move Office, a group of academic officers and resource persons from the Assessment Cell of the Education Research Survey and Assessment (ERSA) division of SCERT. The syllabus aims to enhance the quality of education in Jammu and Kashmir by shifting the focus from rote learning to competency-based and experiential learning. The syllabus is in sync with the latest guidelines and instruction manuals issued by the NCERT, New Delhi, and is aligned with the NEP-2020. The new syllabus also aims to provide teachers with the flexibility to plan their classroom activities in a meaningful and productive manner, keeping in mind the Learning Outcomes suggested by the NCERT and NEP-2020. “The Learning Outcomes are a set of expected knowledge, skills, and values that students should acquire at the end of each class or level,” Joint Director, Central Move Office, Fayaz Ahmad Fayaz, said. “These Learning Outcomes are designed to ensure that students have a holistic development and are prepared for the challenges of the 21st century, he added” The syllabus, he said, emphasizes the importance of inclusive education and provides teachers with the knowledge and skills to create an inclusive classroom environment. “Inclusive education refers to an educational approach where all students, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, are provided with equal opportunities to learn and succeed,” Fayaz said. “The syllabus provides teachers with diverse material and non-material resources to make inclusive education a reality. These resources include tactile diagrams/maps, talking books, audio-visual materials, Braille, etc.” For children with special needs (CWSN), the syllabus emphasizes the importance of providing appropriate resources and support. The syllabus provides teachers with guidance on how to use these resources to support the learning needs of CWSN. These resources are designed to ensure that CWSN have equal opportunities to learn and succeed. The document is available in parts on the website of the SCERT for easy access by teachers, students, and parents. With introduction of the new syllabus, it is hoped that it will enhance the quality of education in Jammu and Kashmir, and help students develop the skills and competencies needed for success in the 21st century.
